The Transfer Tavern

Introducing: Henrik Larsson as the man to lead the Parkhead faithful

There’s something to be said for famous faces returning to the clubs they played to take on the manager’s job. One day Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard will hope to do so at Chelsea and Liverpool, and Real Madrid and Manchester United fans have only good things to say of Zizou and the baby faced assassin, so why not Henrik Larsson at Celtic?

Henrik Larsson and management don’t tend to mix given the few examples we’ve had. In his career as a coach and a manager, the famous Celtic hero is yet to leave his native Sweden. Three clubs have seen him in the dugout and his most recent foray into management was in November 2016 when he sacked at Helsingborg, and if you believe the bookies he could end up at Celtic, according to this Daily Record article.

Larsson may be lacking the credentials to take on a top job like that at Parkhead, but just look at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United. The Norwegian came straight from Molde to Old Trafford when Jose Mourinho was sacked and has taken like a duck to water. It was an appointment that never looked like it could work on paper, especially after Solskjaer’s Cardiff nightmare, yet he’s been quality.

It will be that exact case study that the Bhoys want to see their side follow when they appoint a new manager. Ten in a row is a real possibility for the Hoops at the moment, and the wrong managerial appointment could jeopardise their chances of pulling off the historic achievements. Larsson, though, knows the club, knows the league and commands the respect of every football fan in Scotland.

Whether your a Rangers or a Celtic fan, it is simply impossible not to respect and admire Larsson. In his time with the club, Larsson scored a whopping 174 Scottish Premier League goals before leaving for the fame and fortunes of Barcelona, where he was privileged enough to win the Champions League. However, his heart will always be green and white and the Hoops would absolutely love to welcome back their heroic ex-player as Neil Lennon’s successor in the summer.